Display and vending apparatus



C. -E. KARST May 17, 1927.

DISPLAY AND VENDING APPARATUS Filed July 23. 1926 1 .3 aim [mien for;

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Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,628,846 PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE E. KARST, OF GINCINI WATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- TO THE BRUNHOFF MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DISPLAY AND VENDING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 23,

My invention relates to improvements in display and vending apparatus. One of its objects is to provide an improved case or rack of display bins adapted to contain a variety of articles to be vended, such as groceries for instance, and adapted to display the goods to prospective customers; to keep the goods under cover and protected from dust and moisture, and to facilitate ready access on the part of the vendor to the contents of the bins. Another object is to provide an improved structure of the character recited adapted to be constructed entirely of metal with the exception of the glazing. Another object is to provide for an opening of ample size for introducing and removing the goods from the bins. Another object isto provide for conveniently opening and closing the bins, and shifting the contents where the bins are only partially filled, to a position to show through the window of the bin, and to be readily removed. Another object is to provide a casing having a series of bins in operative position without interference of one bin with the operation of another. My invention also comprises cer- 'tain details of form and arrangement and combination of components, all of which will be fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rack or casing of bins embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same. i

Fig. 4: is a perspective View of one of the bins and its lid in closed position, detached from the casing.

5 is a perspective View of. one of the bins and its lid in open position, detached from the rack.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, in which a metal casing or rack is composed of the side-plates 15 connected together by cross-bars 16, and preferably by means of a sheet or plate 17 extending across the top of the casing and serving both to strengthen the casing and to support advertising matter. The plate 17 is preferably of an ular cross section, to increase the ri idity of the casing, and to add to the finished ppearance of the casing from the front thereof.

A series of bins or receptacles 18 as many as may be desired are mounted invertical tiers, and spaced apart vertically. Several 1926. Serial No. 124,529.

sets or tiers are also adapted to be arranged side by side in a single casing with partition plates arranged vertically to separate the tiers and to support the cross bars 16 intermediateof. the tiers. Each of the bins is provided with a pair of ears 19 extending downwardly therefrom intermediate of its ends, so that the bin may be pivotally supported from the casing by one of the cross rods 16 passing through a perforation in the ears 19, with the bin substantially counter balanced upon the rod 16, and with a limited rocking or tilting movement. Each bin is provided with a handle 20 at one end by means of which the operator may tilt the handle end of the bin downwardly to, shift the goods to that end of the bin, and to at the same time lift the rear portion of the lid to give access to the bin.

Each bin is provided with a lid comprising a section 22, having a glazed panel 24 which is normally in position to expose the contents of the bin to observation of prospective customers standing in front of the bins, and a lid section 25 hinged to the lid section 22 by means of a pair of hinge members 26. The lid section 22 rests loosely upon the top of the forward end of the bin with its downwardly turned flanges 27 outside of the rim of the bin. 'The lid section 22 is provided with a pair of upwardly projecting ears 28 by means of which the lid sections 22 are pivotally connected to the side plates of the casing by means of bolts or rivets 29. Pivotally attached to the lid sections 25 upon opposite sides of said lid sections and at short distances from the hinge members 26 are a pair of links 30 and 31, the upper and opposite ends of which links are pivotally attachedby bolts or rivets 32 to the side sections of the casing.

In the drawings I have shown only two bins in the casing, but as many bins may be mounted one above the other as may be desired, and as many tiers may be mounted side by side in a single casing as may be convenient or desirable. The bins are all normally inclined toward the front, or with their front ends lower than their rear ends as shown in full line at the top of Fig. 1. In this position a prospective customer standing in front of the bins is in position to look through the glazedpanels of the respective bins and to observe the contents of the bins therethrough. Also the are only partially filled, the contents are in the lower portion of the bin in position to be observed through the glazed panel. VJ hen the vendor, who is n-orn'ially located in rear of the bins, wishes to remove a portion of the contents from any one of the bins, he depresses the handle 20 of that bin, which tilts the bin in the opposite direction with its forward end upwardly, and its rear end downwardly, as indicated in full line at the lower bin of Fig. 1, which due to the bin and its lid being respectively pivotally connected to the casing upon different axes, causes the lid section 22 to he slid or shifted endwise of the bin along the top of the bin toward the forward end of the bin. The tilting of the bin also causes the lid section 22 to turn pivotally upon its centers 29, thereby moving the hinge members downwardly away from the centers 32 upon which the links 30 and 31 are pivotally connected to the casing. This lowering of the hinge members 26 carries the hinge end of the lid section 25 downwardly, causing the lid section to pivot upon the lower ends of the links and 31, and-to thereby elevate the rear ends of the lid sections 25 to thereby provide a wide opening from the rear into the bin either to add to the contents of the bin or to remove the contents from the bin. The tilting action of the bin also serves when the bin is only partially filled, to shift the position of the contents of the bin sufficiently to enable the operator to conveniently reach and remove the contents, and also to change the center of gravity of the bin and its contents sufficiently so that the bin will retain its position with the lid open until the operator elevates the rear end of the bin by means of its handle 20, which serves to automatically close down the lid and restore the lid section 22 to its original position, so that the bin is effectually closed and protected from dust or moisture. The interior of the bins are not accessible from the front. Where a series of tiers of bins are arranged side by side, a plate similar to the side plates 15 is interposed between each pair of tiers.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerable modification within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A display and vending apparatus comprising a supporting casing, a plurality of containers pivotally mounted with a limited pivotal movement and spaced apart one above the other upon said casing and normally inclined with their forward ends olepressed and their rear ends elevated, forward lid sections to close the forward ends of said containers each resting loosely upon the forward end of one of the containers and pivotally attached near its rear end to said gasing and adapted to slide endwise upon and relative to said container, rear lid sections each hinged at its forward end to the rear end of a forward lid section and adapted to open and close the rear end of one of the containers, and link members pivotally attached at their upper ends to said casing and at their lower ends to said rear lid sections near where said forward and rear lid sections are hinged together, said forward lid sections sliding upon said containers to overhang the forward ends of the containers when the containers are inclined with their rear ends downwardly and sliding in the opposite direction when the inclination is re versed, and said rear lid sections each being automatically lifted by said links away from the rear end of its container when the container is inclined with its rear end downwardly, and automatically closed upon the rear end of its container when its container isinclined with its rear end upwardly.

2. A display and vending apparatus comprising a supporting casing, a container pivotally mounted with a limited pivotal movement upon said casing and normally inclined with its forward end depressed and its rear end elevated, a forward lid section to close the forward end of said container resting loosely upon the forward end of the container and independently pivotally attached to said supporting casing near its rear end and adapted to slide endwise upon and relative to saidcontainer, a rear lid section hinged at its forward end to the rear end of the forward lid section and adapted to open and close the rear end of said container, and link memberspivotally attached at one end to said casing and at their opposite end to said rear lid section near where said forward and rear lid sections are hinged together, said forward lid section sliding upon said container to overhang the forward end of the container when the container is inclined with its rear end downwardly and sliding in the opposite direction when the inclination is reversed, and said rear lid section being automatically lifted by said linksaway from the rear end of the container when the con tainer is inclined with its rear end downwardly and automatically closed upon the rear end of the container when the container is inclined with its rear end upwardly.

3. A display and vending apparatus comprising a supportingcasing, a container pivotally mounted with a limited pivotal movement upon said casing and normally inclined with its forward end depressed and its rear end elevated, a forward lid section to close the forward end of said container resting upon the forward end of said container and independently pivotally attached to said supporting casingand provided with a glazed section to permit the contents of the c ntai r to be observed fromv in front rear end of said container, and means connecting said rear lid section with said casing and serving to automatically lift said rear lid section away from the container when the rear end of said container is depressed and to automatically close the rear lid section upon the rear end of the container when the rear end of the container is elevated, said forward lid section sliding upon the forward end of said container to overhang the forward end of the container when the forward end of the container is elevated and sliding in the opposite direct-ion upon the forward end of the container when the forward end of the container is inclined in the reverse direction.

4. A display and vending apparatus comprising a supporting casing, a plurality of containers each pivotally mounted with a limited pivotal movement and spaced apart one above the other upon'said casing and normally inclined with their forward ends depressed and their rearends elevated, for? ward lid sections to close the forward ends of said containers each resting upon the forward end of one of said containers and independently pivotally attached near its rear end to said casing and adapted to slide endwise upon and relative to said container, said forward lid sections being each provided with a glazed section to permit the contents of the respective containers to be observed a.

from in front thereof, rear lid sections each hinged at its forward end to the rear end of a forward lid section and adapted to open and close the rear end of one of the containers, and means connecting said rear lid sect-ions respectively with; the supporting casing and serving to automatically lift the rear lid sections away from the rear ends of the respective containers when said respec tive containers are inclined with their rear ends depressed and to automatically close the rear lid sections upon the respective containers when the containers are inclined with 7 their rear ends in elevated position, said forward lid sections sliding upon the respec tive containers to overhang the forward ends of the containers when the containers are inclined with their forward ends elevated, and sliding in the opposite directionwhen the respective containers are inclined with 1 their forward ends'depressed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. l

CLARENCE E. KARST. 

